Production

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How is graphene produced today, and how will it be produced in the future?

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​Active and focused investigation of graphene started less than 10 years ago, after a simple and effective way to produce relatively large isolated graphene samples was found. Also known as the micromechanical cleavage technique, the ‘Scotch tape method’ has a low barrier to entry in that it does not require large investments or complicated equipment, which has helped considerably to broaden the geography of graphene science.

Today there are several methods of producing graphene that can be extended to industrial scale. For electronics applications, high quality graphene can be grown on silicon carbide and other substrates through a process known as chemical vapour deposition. For bulk applications in nanocomposites or printed electronics, natural graphite can be used to create graphene flakes in solution. Finally, direct chemical synthesis can be used to create small graphene structures with well-defined geometries.